USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Winchendon > History of the town of Winchendon (Worcester County, Mass.) from the grant of Ipswich Canada, in 1735, to the present time > Part 8
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The town had a law-suit before the Court of Common Pleas at Wor- cester, with Luther Stimson, respecting the support of Mrs. Thankful Stimson. Dea. Hale was agent of the town in conducting the case. He employed Esq. Paine and Esq. Strong as counsel. The decis- ion was in favor of the town.
1793. Jeremiah Stuart's part of the tax for building a meeting- house was abated. He claimed to be a Quaker. June 3, Dea. Sam- uel Prentice was chosen Treasurer, in place of Lieut. John Burr, who died in the preceding month.
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
1794. Here is an item which must have been the occasion of talk in every house in town, at the time. A meeting was called, on the 6th of January, to take into serious consideration the request of Sally Lord. Voted, " That Miss Lord improve the house she now lives in, and also the red shop on the east side of the common, during the town's pleasure, and that the Selectmen assist her in conducting the matter according to their best discretion." She was the only living daughter of the first minister, and had been deserted by a selfish husband.
April 7. The town refused to petition the General Court for a new county. Also, " voted against setting off a part of the southwest of the town, to make a new town. Also, voted to burn a number of old notes due to the town from several persons. Chose a Committee to pe- tition the General Court for liberty to sell ministerial and school lots."
May 5, " Voted to petition the General Court to abate a fine im- posed on the town for not sending a representative."
May 28, Voted and empowered Moses Hale to sell the land be- longing to the town in the State of Vermont, and give a deed for the same.
September 1. The following action was probably taken in connec- tion with Washington's call for troops to suppress the " Whiskey Re- bellion" in Pennsylvania. That was suppressed in October. The town of Winchendon voted " to make up to the soldiers who have turned out as minute men in this town, forty shillings per month as wages, including what they receive from Congress, from the time they march, to the time they are dismissed from the camp ; and if they are called out of town before they march, to muster, or any other matter more than the rest of the militia, the town vote to give them three shillings per day for each day."
November 3, " Voted to let out to the lowest bidder the making an accurate plan of the town, agreeable to a Resolve of the General Court, passed June 19 preceding." Chose a committee to let out the business. Nov. 21. It was let out to Major Paul Boynton for $39.67. " Voted and made choice of Moses Hale as a committee man, with Major Boynton, for the above-mentioned purpose of taking a plan of the town." The work was done by Dea. Hale, and the original by his pen is now in the office of the Secretary of State, in the State House at Boston. The effort to set off a portion from the southwest
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
of the town to form a new town was still pursued, but the town re- fused to take any action in favor of the measure. The design was to make New Boston a centre.
1795. A post route was established through this town this year.
A store was set up where the Village now stands. Its precise loca- tion is not known, probably where Mrs. Caswell lives. It was a small affair, suitable to the times. Thomas Wilder was the store-keeper.
May 6, Voted on the question of the necessity and expediency of revising the Constitution of the State. Yeas, 2; nays, 61. Accept- ed the Plan of the town.
September 3, Voted to set up guide-posts, agreeably to an act of the General Court.
The town generally set itself against all changes of town or coun- ty lines. In December of this year it voted against setting off Har- vard-to Middlesex county.
1796. May 5, Voted against dividing the county, and also against building a new Court House in Worcester.
September 5, Voted not to pay for a singing-school.
November 7, Voted to request the church to shorten the intermis- sions on Sundays in the longest days, to an hour and a half, and in the shortest, to an hour.
1797. May 2, Voted to give a bounty of three shillings for every old crow, and one shilling for every young crow killed in the town, by the inhabitants thereof, to continue for the time of six months from this day. A vote similar to this was passed at different times down to a recent period.
179S. January 1, Chose Dea. Moses Hale, Amos Heywood and Dea. Samuel Prentice a committee to remonstrate to the General Court against granting any money for the building a Court House in the town of Worcester."
March 5, " Voted that the three first Selectmen-there were five this year-be a Committee to give a decd of the leased lands when the money is paid in, and let out the same at six per cent., taking land security." By degrees the town was disposing of its lands.
April 2, Voted on dividing the county ; yeas, 15; nays, 40.
Voted to procure a carriage and harness to be used at funerals.
Voted that the Seal of the town be the letters W. and N., and that the Selectmen procure said Seal.
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
May 7. The love of office was not so strong in the last century as it is at present, else ambitious men would have prevented any need of such action as is expressed by the following vote : " Voted to petition the General Court to abate the fine for neglecting to send a represen- tative last year." It is possible however that towns would sometimes neglect or decline to send representatives in these days, because they were obliged to pay the expense.
1799. September 30. The following action proves that the Mili- tia system was considered important by those who had a lively recol- lection of revolutionary times. " Voted that the Selectmen equip such of the trainband as they think are unable to equip themselves."
APPENDIX TO CHAPTER V.
The action of the town, embodied in the Report of its Committee. in reference to parting with a large section to the proposed town of Gardner, is so unselfish and honorable, that it is inserted here, as an appendix to the Annals. The Report was presented, " accepted and adopted," on the 17th of May, 1781. It was as follows :
" We, the subscribers, being appointed by the town of Winchendon, as a Committee to take into consideration the petition of Gideon Fisher and others, inhabitants of the southeasterly part of Winchendon, requesting to have a part of said town set off, and being annexed to parts of other towns, to forn: a distinct district, have attended to that business, and report as follows. Con- sidering the situation of the petitioners, we think it reasonable a part of said town should be set off when those towns concerned have determined the res- pective boundaries of the district to be so formed, as that the same may be properly accommodated ; and as circumstances now appear, we think a straight line beginning at the northeast corner of lot No. 15, to the southeast corner of lot No. SO, would best accommodate, if the parts taken from the other . towns are correspondent thereto ; and in order that said boundaries may be ascertained, we think it expedient that those towns concerned should meet by their Committees, or otherwise, to consult on the same."
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
CHAPTER VI. - THE REVOLUTION.
" The God of battles smil'd-Justice triumph'd ; The Stars and Stripes, Columbia's sacred Flag, Like eagles' pinions flutter'd to the breeze ; And the Red Lion, haughty Britain's emblem, Discomfitted, went howling back with rage, To lair amidst the white cliffs of Albion." WATSON.
SECTION 1 .- SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE.
Having recited the annals of the town to the close of the century, it is now necessary to return, and dwell more fully on certain impor- tant events in which local and national history are blended. The first of these was the Revolution, which most deeply affected every inhab- itant of the town.
The first settlers were in sympathy with their countrymen in rela- tion to everything which pertained to the general welfare. They were full of the spirit of patrotism and of the love of independence. They responded to all the movements of Boston, led by Samuel Adams, in the years preceding the Declaration of Independence. The " Boston Massacre" occurred, and sent a thrill of indignation through all New England.
In January, 1773, a letter was received by the Selectmen from the town of Boston, in reference to public affairs, and requesting the peo- ple of Winchendon to take action in relation thereto, and send the result to the Committee of correspondence in Boston. Abel Wilder and John Boynton, two of the Selectmen, in response to a request signed by ten freeholders, called a special town meeting, " to see if the town will take into consideration the distressing circumstances of the present affairs of the province ; and so far as concerns particular towns and individual persons, to act thereon by choosing Committees, or otherwise, as they shall see fit." The meeting was held on the
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fifteenth of February, the records of which are here copied, as they show the spirit of the people, two years before the clash of arms.
" At a legal meeting of the freeholders and other inhabitants of Winchen- don, qualified by law to vote in town affairs, on the fifteenth day of Febru- ary, 1773, chose Moses Hale, Moderator for the government of said meeting. The meeting was then adjourned to 1, and again to 3 o'clock.
" Voted, to take into consideration the distressing and dangerous circum- stances of our public affairs.
Voted, to choose a committee consisting of five persons to prepare a draft to lay before the town, of such measures as may be thought proper for the town to come into, in order to defend their rights and liberties. Chose Messrs. Moses Hale, Levi Nichols, John Boynton, John Homer, and Dudley Perley, Committee for the purposes aforementioned.
Voted, and consented to the proceedings of the town of Boston in their stating the rights of the Colonists, as they are set forth in a pamphlet sent by a Committee of Correspondence in Boston to the Selectmen of Winchendon." Adjourned to the first day of March at 2 P. M., in the meeting-house.
"At a legal meeting of the freeholders and others of Winchendon, upon adjournment from the fifteenth day of February last, the Committee appointed the fifteenth day of February last, by the town of Winchendon, legally assem- bled to consider the letter from the town of Boston, with their statement of rights of the Colonies, and the infringements made upon them, which was publicly read at the said meeting, beg leave to report, That from a full con- viction of the propriety and expediency of the measure, they do recommend to the inhabitants of this town to pass the following Resolves, namely :
1. Resolved, that having taken into serions consideration the state of the rights of the Colonies, and of the Province in particular, as men, as christians, and as subjects, and a list of infringements and violation of rights, as speci- fied and set forth by the committee of the town of Boston, We are of opin- ion that the rights of this Province are well and truly stated in said list, as they are well supported and warranted by the laws of God, of nature, of the realm of Great Britain and the charter of this Province ; that a list of infringe- ments and violations of those rights and privileges inherent to the inhabitants of this Province arc well stated, vindicated and supported by a great variety of uncontestable facts, whereby it appears to us as aforesaid, that the time is speedily hastening when we shall be reduced to the most abject slavery.
2. Resolved, that having consulted our charter, we find that by the afore- said infringements and violations, our rights and liberties, thereby derived, are sapped to the very foundation.
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
3. Resolved, that it is of the utmost importance the Colonies in general and the inhabitants of this Province in particular, stand firm as one man to support and maintain all their just rights and privileges.
4. Resolved, that this town will, at all times, heartily join with our brethren of this Province, and with every true friend to liberty, in all lawful measures which may be proper, salutary and effectual for the redress of our grievances and the establishment of our charter rights, privileges and liberties.
5. Resolved, that this town choose a committee to correspond with the Boston committee, and the committees of other towns, to receive and com- municate to the town all salutary measures that shall be proposed or offered by any other towns for removing the common grievances of this Province, and to communicate the sentiments of this town to the correspondent com- mittee of the other towns of this Province.
6. Resolved, that the united thanks of this town and of every true son of liberty and friend to the constitution of the Province, is due to the town of Boston for their early and indefatigable zeal in endeavoring to preserve the constitutional rights and liberties of this Province.
7. Resolved, that the town of Boston be served with an attested copy of our proceedings.
MOSES HALE, LEVI NICHOLS, JOHN BOYNTON, JOHN HOMER, DUDLEY PERLEY,
Committee to consider
of Grievances.
Winchendon, February 22, 1773.
The above Resolves being publicly read, it was put to vote. Accepted by unanimous vote.
Vated, and chose Messrs. Moses Hale, Levi Nichols, John Boynton, John Homer, and Dudley Perley, a Committee of Correspondence.
Voted, that the Town Clerk be directed to record the foregoing Resolves in the town book of records, and to return an attested copy of the same to the Committee of Correspondence above chosen.
A true copy, Attest,
MOSES HALE, Moderator.
ABEL WILDER, Town Clerk."
The intention of the British government became plainer from year to year, and the determination of the Colonists rose in opposition. They would not surrender their birthright without a struggle. The people of Winchendon were in full accord with their countrymen in taking proper measures of resistance to tyranny. The Selectmen
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
issued a warrant for a town meeting to be held on the fourth of August, 1774. This was the language of one of the articles. "Whereas the committee of Correspondence of the town of Winchendon, have received a letter from the committee of Correspondence of Worcester, -requesting the town of Winchendon to appoint one or more of the committee of the town of Winchendon, to meet the other committees of the several towns in this county, at Worcester on the ninth of August next, to consult together, and come into some regular method to oppose the late Acts of Parliament ; the intent of which is to bereave us of our rights and privileges ;" and the meeting was to " see if the town will choose one or more of the committee for the abovesaid pur- pose." The record of the meeting was as follows :
" At a meeting of the town of Winchendon, August 4, 1774, Chose Mr. Eli Smith, Moderator for the government of said meeting. Chose Mr. Amos Merriam to join the Committee of Correspondence in the town in the room of John Homer, deceased.
Chose Mr. Moses Hale to meet the committee that may be appointed by the several towns in this county, at the widow Mary Stearns, at Worcester, on the 9th day of August instant, at 10 of the clock in the morning." Adjourned to the 25th of August. Then met and acted as follows :
" Voted, that Dea. Moses Hale go to Worcester upon the adjournment of the County Convention-That is, the adjourned meeting of the Convention.
Voted to accept of the following Resolves, namely :
1. Resolved, that we acknowledge ourselves true and liege subjects to his Majesty. king George III., and that we will, to the utmost of our power, defend his crown and dignity.
2. Resolved, that the charter of this Province is the basis of allegiance to his Majesty, the sacred obligation he is under to protect us, his American subjects, and that all Acts of the British Parliament which tend to vacate our charter without our consent, have a tendency to destroy our allegiance to the king, and also the obligation he is under to protect us, his most loyal sub- jects, which consequently reduces us to a state of nature.
3. Resolved, that those unconstitutional Acts lately passed in the British Parliament, wherein they claim a right to tax the Americans without their consent, and to alter our free Constitutions at their pleasure, has a direct ten- dency to break off the affections of his Majesty's true and loyal subjects in America, from the king, and therefore most certainly weaken the British nation, and will, if persisted in, unavoidably endanger, if not actually be a means of the destruction of the king, and the whole British realm.
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4. Resolved, that we will, to the utmost of our power, oppose all such unconstitutional acts, which in our opinion, are directly against the dignity of the king and the constitution of this Province, and are ready to risk our lives and fortunes in defence of our rightful sovereign, and to maintain our free constitution, in order to save ourselves and posterity from ruin and slavery, which seems, like a torrent, rushing in upon us.
5. Resolved, that we will do all that lies in our power to maintain peace and good order amongst us according to the laws of this Province ; and that we will break off all dealings, as far as possible, with all officers who hold their commissions under unconstitutional laws.
6. Resolved, that those men who are appointed Counsellors by a manda- mus from England, directly contrary to the charter of this Province, and have taken the oaths required to serve in that office, are destitute of any regard to the good of their country, and ought to be treated as open enemies to the once free constitution of this Province."
SECTION 2 .- THE FIRST NOTES OF DEFIANCE.
The above resolutions truly indicate the sentiments of the inhabit- ants of this town, though they may have been drafted, possibly, in Boston. It was not uncommon for the people of one place to adopt the resolves of another, inasmuch as the crisis produced almost entire unanimity among the people. An adjourned meeting was held on the 15th of September, when it was
" Voted to send a person to the Provincial Congress to meet at Concord the second Tuesday of October next.
Chose Mr. Moses Hale to go to Concord.
Voted, that every person from the age of sixteen to sixty years old, appear at the meeting-house in Winehendon, on Tuesday, the 20th day of this instant September, at one of the clock in the afternoon.
Voted, that the town will indemnify Mr. Jeremiah Stuart, Constable, in his not returning a list of the persons qualified to serve as Jurors agreeable to a late Act of Parliament ; and he is hereby directed never to make such returns."
The last resolve was really a defiance to the government of the mother country, and evinces the purpose of the people to maintain their rights at all hazards. New events were in the same direction from month to month. In September, Gen. Gage, the royal Gov- ernor, issued a proclamation convoking the General Court to meet in
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Salem, in October. Though the Governor countermanded the meet- ing, the representatives, nevertheless, assembled at the appointed time and place, resolved themselves into a Provincial Congress, adjourned to Concord, and there adopted a series of measures adapted to the times. To this adjourned meeting, the town of Winchendon sent a representative in the person of Dea. Hale, as appears by the vote above recited. Though the Provincial Congress was held in defiance of the constituted authority, yet the sanction of the people gave all their recommendations the force of law.
This year, 1774, is noted in American annals for the destruction of tea in Boston harbor. Between three and four hundred chests of tea were thrown into the water, by a party of men disguised as Indians, followed and assisted by a crowd in their usual dress. The British government, in their alarm at the excitement which their measures had aroused in the Colonies, and with the hope of conciliation, had repealed the duties on articles imported, with the exception of three pence per pound on tea, retained for the purpose of asserting their right to tax the Colonies. This claim was resisted, on principle, and one of the rough modes of resistance was taken by the pretended Indians. A venerable lady, now deceased, whose husband was one of the band. used to narrate the event, and tell how frightened she was when her door was opened that night, by a fierce looking Indian, and how she was calmed by a well-known voice, saying : " Don't be frightened, Elizabeth." According to her account, the number of men in the Indian costume was not large, but every man in the crowd afterwards claimed to be one of the tea-party, and by implication, at least, one of the Indians.
It is said, that though the ladies joined in the league which pro- scribed the use of tea, yet sometimes their love of the beverage would get the upper-hand of their patriotism. Under the name of sage tea, or mint tea, or some other herb, the genuine article was sipped by stealth. in the cellar or the garret. And there are stories that even parties of ladies would contrive, by setting a guard, to have a social tea-drink- ing; nor need there be any doubt, that under such inspiration, their tongues ran as glibly and patriotically on the engrossing topics of the day.
The next act of the town taken in unison with the other towns of the
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
Province, was another defiance of the royal government. Harrison Gray, Esq., was the Treasurer under the government of the crown, and the taxes could not be paid lawfully except into his hands. The Congress, however, recommended the several towns to pay their annual taxes into the hands of Henry Gardner, Esq., of Stow, as Treasurer for the Province. In reference to this matter the town passed the fol- lowing vote, at a town meeting held on the 10th of January, 1775.
" Voted. that the Province taxes granted and levied upon the town of Winchendon, for the years 1772, 1773, and 1774, committed and soon to be committed to Thomas Sawyer and Jeremiah Stuart, Constables of Win- chendon, be paid to Henry Gardner, Esq., of Stow, as soon as conveniently may be ; and the Constables are hereby ordered to pay the above-said money as above voted ; and the town will hereby indemnify the above-said Thomas Sawyer and Jeremiah Stuart in so doing, upon their producing receipts from the above-mentioned Henry Gardner, Esq.
Voted and chose Levi Nichols, Thomas Sawyer, Moses Hale, Abel Wil- der, John Boynton, Eli Smith and David Poor, a committee to see that the Association of the Continental Congress be put in execution.
Voted, that the town will assist the above committee in carrying the above-mentioned Association into exceution, provided they proceed agreeably to the directions of the Provincial Congress."
Here was an actual though not formal declaration of separation from the mother country. The authority of the royal governor was set aside, and the Provincial Congress was the recognized authority. The action of the Congress which the above committee were chosen to enforce, proscribed the importation and use of articles from Great Britain.
SECTION 3. - LEXINGTON AND BUNKER HILL.
There were at this time, according to Dr. Whiton, about ninety families in the place, and near five hundred and fifty people, so that they were able to muster quite a company of militia. And if their guns were old fashioned, and mayhap rusty, they were wielded by strong and sturdy hands. When the news came of the battle of Lex- ington, in April, the alarm was spread in Winchendon by the firing of guns and the beating of drums. The people sprang to arms, and under the lead of Dea. Moses Hale, without a commission, a party of
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them started for the scene of action. Learning, however, while on their way, that there were men enough in the field, near Boston, they returned home. They attended to spring work on their farms, and put themselves in preparation for the contest which was now opening before them. In the meantime, Capt. Abel Wilder was commissioned as captain. The time for preparation was brief, for letters dated May 6 and May 10, prove that Capt. Wilder was already in the camp at Cambridge. Sometime-the exact date has not been discovered,- prior to the battle of Bunker Hill, which was fought on the 17th of June, Capt. Wilder marched to Cambridge with his company. This company, says Dr. Whiton, " was composed of men from Winchen- don, Royalston and Templeton." Among the soldiers from this town were Benjamin Rice, Amos Hale, David Stoddard, Samuel Bradish, John Day, Nathan Day, (both sons of Dea. Richard Day,) Timothy Darling, Samuel Brown, and Elisha Brown.
It is supposed that some twelve or fifteen of the company were per- sonally engaged in the battle ; the remainder being on guard, or oth- erwise employed. "The Winchendon men engaged in the thick of the fight, were Wilder, Bradish, Stoddard, Rice, and Hale," and per- haps others. Stoddard, though he received no injury, was covered with dust thrown up by a canon ball which struck the earth near his feet. Bradish was severely, and for a time it was supposed, fatally wounded, "by a ball accidentally discharged by a comrade, which entered the back of his neck, and came out at one of his eyes. The eye perished, but he himself surprisingly recovered. Apparently des- perate as was the wound, he walked off from the battle-field to a place of refuge. When Capt. Wilder came to him after the retreat, he found the wound undressed, and demanding of the surgeon the reason for the neglect, was told it was of no use, as the man must certainly die ; but he insisted that the wound should be dressed, which was ac- cordingly done." A letter* written by Capt. Wilder to his wife Anna, the day after the battle, finds its place here. The ancient spelling is retained.
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